The invention relates to a device for practicing and playing bat and ball games such as baseball or softball and more particularly as an improvement in bats allowing the user to more easily hit a ball.
Prior art shows several attempts to overcome the inherent shortcomings of the "toss and hit" method of hitting a ball. U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,342 issued Dec. 24, 1963 to Webster discloses a hollowed out bat wherein a plurality of balls may be placed within the bat and individually flipped into the air for hitting. The Webster device requires a specially constructed bat which while suitable for its intended use, would have a much different weight distribution than the "regulation" bat and would additionally require bats for using different sized balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,387 issued Feb. 4, 1964 to Weinstin discloses another hollow bat wherein the ball is ejected into the air for hitting using hydraulic pressure provided by a bellows-like attachment disposed upon the handle of the bat. A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,521 issued Feb. 22, 1966 to Knott, which again discloses a hollowed out bat wherein the ball is ejected from the end of the baseball bat using hydraulic or spring pressure for placement into the air in hitting. Both of these devices produce a hollowed out bat with additional attachments thereto having a weight distribution unlike the weight distribution of a regulation bat. Additionally, they require the ejection of the ball from the end of the bat through action of a lever or bellows device which will still require the user to place the ball in the air and change his hand grips while the ball remains in the air.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,019 issued Feb. 9, 1965 to Genjack discloses a baseball catching and throwing cup for attachment to a bat using a band extending around the bat. The device requires attachment to an existing bat which again upsets the balance of the bat while having an attachment strap surrounding the bat which is likely to interfere with the hitting of the ball.